Pumpkin Grown on Leaf Mulch Produces Large Attractive Fruit and Builds Soil Quality J. Heckman and A. Wyenandt Mid-Atlantic Pumpkin School January 24, 2007
2 Passes = 6 inch Mulch Layer (20 dry tons/acre)
Hand Planting June 14, 2005
Seed Emergence Mulch vs Bare Soil Mulch Plot Bare Soil Plot
2006 Soil Erosion Mulch vs Bare Soil Mulch Plot Bare Soil Plot
Erosion After Five Inch Rainfall Event in 2006
Comparing Crop Years July 22, 2005 July 20, 2006
Date Sidedress N Applications July 22, 2005 vs July 6, 2006
Shredded Leaves C/N=50/1 Early Season N Deficiency
2004 No Legume vs Legume Cover Crop Previous Crop Corn Previous Crop Clover
Fruit Cleanliness Mulch vs Bare Soil Fruit Underside Mulch Plot Fruit Underside Bare Soil Plot
Fruit Size, Yield, Quality Mulch vs Bare Soil Mulch Plot Bare Soil Plot
Leaf Mulch and N Rate Treatments Pumpkins Planted Mid-June Mulch N Application Sidedress Rate and Time Pre-plant July August Herbicide (75) --------------- lbs/acre ------------------------ 50 25 0 Herbicide (125) 50 25 50 Mulch (75) 50 25 0 Mulch (125) 50 25 50
Sept 11, 2005 Bare Soil Plot
Sept 11, 2005 Mulch Soil Plot
2005 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins Fruit Number in Thousands/Acre N rate Mulch lbs/a Orange Green % Orange None 75 85 ab 15 ab 85 ab None 125 91 a 11 b 88 a Mulch 75 68 bc 16 a 81 bc Mulch 125 63 c 18 a 78 c
2005 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins Mulch N rate Fruit Size Yield lbs/a lbs/fruit tons/a None 75 9.1 b 15.3 a None 125 8.8 b 15.7 a Mulch 75 12.3 a 16.7 a Mulch 125 12.2 a 15.3 a
2005 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins Mulch N rate Good Handles Clean Fruit lbs/a % % None 75 91 ab 16 b None 125 89 a 19 b Mulch 75 97 ab 91 a Mulch 125 99 b 93 a
2006 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins N rate Fruit Number in Thousands/Acre Mulch lbs/a Orange Green % Orange None 75 85 a 17 ab 81 a None 125 85 a 19 a 80 a Mulch 75 95 a 7 c 92 a Mulch 125 83 a 8 bc 89 a
2006 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins Mulch N rate Fruit Size Yield lbs/a lbs/fruit tons/a None 75 8.1 c 13.6 b None 125 7.8 c 13.4 b Mulch 75 11.0 b 21.1 a Mulch 125 13.4 a 22.2 a
2006 Effect of Leaf Mulch and N Rate on Pumpkins Mulch N rate Clean Fruit lbs/a % None 75 34 b None 125 32 b Mulch 75 95 a Mulch 125 89 a
Weeds vs Mulch in 2005
Weeds vs Mulch in 2006
Soil Coverage Following Spring Mulch vs Bare Soil Mulch Plot Bare Soil Plot
Sweet Corn in 2006 Following 2005 Pumpkin
Effect of 2005 Leaf Mulch and N Rate on 2006 Sweet Corn Mulch N rate Ear Size Market Yield lbs/a grams tons/acre None 20 364 b 8.7 b None 170 382 b 9.5 a Mulch 20 403 a 9.3 ab Mulch 170 402 a 9.8 a
Summary: Leaf Mulch on Pumpkin Weeds in mulch plots without herbicide was minimal and similar to bare soil plots with herbicide N immobilization was temporary Need early sidedress N N rate had little influence on crop yield Orange fruit size increased 30 to 50% with mulch Total yield by weight on bare vs mulch plots was not different in 2005 but greater with mulch in 2006 Clean fruit near 100% for mulch vs about 25% for bare soil Mulch creates attractive U-pick operation Mulch controls soil erosion and helps build organic matter
A Harvest of Entertainment
Municipal Leaves on Farmland Concerns/Benefits to Consider May need a permit Carbon to Nitrogen ratio = 50 to 1 Relatively low phosphorus content Estimate of nutrient value $150+ Slight increase in ph, (6.2 to 6.4 in 3 yr study) May contain some trash
Municipal Leaves on Farmland Concerns/Benefits to Consider Heavy metals (lead, cadmium) generally do not exceed and in most cases are well below standards for sewage sludge Allelopathic concern studies: no inhibition found Tree species primarily oak maple Improved soil organic matter content Improved soil moisture holding capacity
Soil Organic Matter Levels Follow ing Three Years of Applying MCST - Leaves Soil Organic Matter Percentages 4 3 2 1 0 0 10 20 MCST - Leaves Tons/Acre/Year
Effect of leaves on Soil Moisture Content (0 to 6 inch layer) Leaves Soil Sample Data None Sept 2,1992 ---- % moisture ---- July 15,1993 14 10 1990-1992 6 inch layer each yr. 16 14
Average Macronutrient Content of Municipal Leaves (dry wt basis) Macronutrient % 6 inch layer or lbs in 20 tons/a Carbon 47 18,800 Nitrogen Phosphorus as P 2 O 5 Potassium as K 2 O Calcium Magnesium 1.0 0.23 0.46 1.64 0.24 400 92 182 656 96 Sulfur 0.11 44 http://www.rcre.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=fs824
Average Micronutrient Content of Municipal Leaves (dry wt basis) Micronutrient ppm 6inch layer or lbs/20 tons/a Boron Iron Manganese Zinc Sodium Chlorine Copper Cobalt 38 1461 550 81 110 1264 8.1 2.7 1.5 58 22 3.2 4.4 51 0.3 0.1 Nickel 5.3 0.2 http://www.rcre.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=fs824
Soybean Grain Yield Bu/Acre 60 50 40 30 0 10 20 MCST-Leaves Tons/Acre 0 N Rate 100 N Rate
Corn Grain Yield B u /A c r e 200 180 160 140 120 100 0 10 20 MCST-Leaves Tons/Acre 170 Lbs/Acre 270 Lbs/Acre